To start or to not to start, that is the aspiring entrepreneur's question

Many books on startups and business talk about how there are right and wrong reasons for starting a business. So, we asked a handful of successful founders about their reasons and the thought-process behind starting their business.

Margaret Walker Sarah Caruth | Co Founders Fraulein Boot Company

We literally thought the word needed cuter boots! It was Sarah’s idea and Margaret agreed with the “aha moment.” We’d both worn vintage cowboy boots for years never finding a pair as cute as our older ones, but sometimes vintage meant too banged up or terribly uncomfortable. Our boots are the most comfortable shoe you can grab from your closet. Your grandkids will fight over them – they are most certainly heirloom quality. Read more>>

Laura Schroeder | Photographer

I feel so lucky to be in a generation where starting your own business is so common, because I didn’t really think it would be an unusual thing to do. What really had me stuck was my confidence levels when it came to putting myself out there. I was scared to fail. After having my second child though, I really struggled with postpartum depression, and realized I really needed to have an outlet to create through. I’ve always had a creative brain, and I thrive when I’m using it, so I knew starting this would help me with my depression. Read more>>

Rylie Fisher | photographer

I wanted my own business because it gives a sense of freedom. I can build something that’s mine in the way I want it to be and run free with any and all ideas I have without running it by someone first or being stopped in my tracks. Read more>>

Lindsey O’Neil | Owner/Head Cookie Creator

When I tell the story about starting my business the “punch line” is “Well, I guess I make cookies now!” That really was the thought process behind starting my own business but there were many things that led me to that point. I have always been an entrepreneur; I started my first business when I was 7 and have had the bug to work for myself ever since. Read more>>

Jama Pantel | Photographer and Entrepreneur

Simply put, working hard for someone else was draining. The lack of respect in the workplace and feeling unfulfilled was a huge catalyst for getting started with my portrait photography business. However, once I learned how photographing my clients made them feel, that took over as well. Making women feel beautiful, heard and seen, it drives me to continue doing what I love. Read more>>

Ashley Ladd | Pet Care Provider

Starting a pet care business started as a by-product of working at two very busy veterinary hospitals with attached boarding and daycare facilities, one in Arizona and one here in Colorado. Inevitably, we would fill up over a holiday and so I started out by boarding dogs for clients when we didn’t have availability in the kennel. Then I would get dogs that didn’t do well in a traditional boarding setup and it grew from there. Read more>>

JoLynne Kohl & Maria Bostic | Founder

We started this business because we were fed up with having to enlist our own families for poop duty. Most people find it tiresome and don’t want to do it, which is why we created this service. We are here to help busy dog owners reclaim their time to pursue other activities and make their life easier. Also, as full-time moms, we wanted the freedom to decide how we were going to spend our time. This was a motivating factor for us to take back control of our own lives. Read more>>

Amy Zambonin | Branding Photographer

Entrepreneurship is in my soul! From designing and selling craft kits at markets when I was 8, to running a sandwich/lunch business for truckers as a pre-teen, and everything else in between that lead up to now! Read more>>

Sally Crunkleton | Professional dog trainer & hobby breeder

I have worked with dogs my whole life and long before I decided to make it my full time career, I trained dogs after working my previous corporate America job. I previously worked for two other dog training companies and always wanted to branch out on my own. After deciding to relocate from Georgia to Colorado, I decided to go for it! Read more>>

Linda Bonde | Sound Journey Holistic Practitioner

I had a passion for the sound of metal and had collected a large number of unique instruments (Gongs, Singing Bowls, etc). It is a wonderful and popular expereince to come and relax and let go of your stress. It is a form of self-healing that participates seek. It was dreams, signs, knowings that lead me to this space and create a sound studio. Read more>>

Treva Ashley Roybal | Designer, brand, and Fashion Week creative

Some areas of the fashion industry were difficult to penetrate. The only solution I came up with was to branch out on my own. Read more>>

Aldo Lopez | Videographer/Photographer – Digital Media Producer

I’m 29 years old. I heard somewhere online, from some internet personality, that the average wage working man gets the worst end of this “Game.” Of course the “Game” being the game of life. I would say more specifically the game of American/Consumer life. I knew I could always get work and do good work for great employers, but in order to provide the life I want for my 3 kids and wife, I needed to do it on my own. Like my immigrant father did before me. He has owned his own electrical contracting company for 30 years now. Read more>>

Arica G. | Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Inveigle Magazine

As the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Inveigle Magazine, I put a lot of thought and effort into creating a platform that would inspire positive change and enhance the quality of life for our readers. My passion for writing and sharing knowledge with the world led me to create Inveigle Magazine and Inveigle Magazine Podcasts. Read more>>

Gus Gruner | Artist

I’d say it was less of a thought process and more of a gradual movement towards turning a passion into my job. The mindset was, “work slowly and naturally and things will fall into place.” Read more>>

erika lourenço | Erika Lourenço | Artist & Illustrator

Initially, I never imagined myself starting a business. I began selling my drawings with the encouragement of friends, and things started to happen. I saw potential there and dedicated myself to it. Read more>>

Dirk Sprogoe | Business Owner

I couldn’t have been older than 10 years old, but I can still recall my father explaining to me the lines, the symmetry, the lugs, and the way a beautiful racing bike handles. I couldn’t quite grasp it then, but I would soon learn about all of those things, and with it, a passion for bicycles that has never diminished. Initially I found cycling as a way to “escape”, to get lost out there somewhere, riding my bike became the adventure, where would the adventure take me tomorrow? Read more>>

Meg Donahue | Co-Founder of MamaSezz Foods

We thought if people knew about the benefits of eating more plants, they would just change their diet, but we were wrong. And I don’t blame them – people are busy! And researching where to start with plant-based eating is overwhelming. That’s why we created convenient, high-quality plant-based meals that taste great, provide nutrients, and are easy to heat and eat. We believe that making change easier is fundamental. Read more>>